


Hopeless

by AerisHikari



Category: Underfell - Fandom, Undertale, underswap
Genre: Death, Don't expect happiness, Friendship, How it can get worst, I don't know what to add in tags without spoiler everything, Implied kiddnaping, Manipulation, Multi, No Smut, Not a Happy Story, One Sided Love, Poison, Soul mutilation, Suicide Idealisation, Talk of Enucleation, This story is really really sad, Tragedy, hurting, implied suicide thought, like this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-02
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2018-10-14 00:08:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,842
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10524807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AerisHikari/pseuds/AerisHikari
Summary: Red came to their lives and even if Papyrus was suspicious at first, a strong friendship blossomed between them... Maybe Papyrus should have followed his instinct.





	1. Hopeless

**Author's Note:**

> I want to thank Sprflamyrainwing who helped me by correcting this story. You're a precious Dragon!

He arrived in their life as an unfortunate fate. He seemed lost from the beginning, this world was not his. His brother quickly became attached to this visitor. They were complete opposites. A ball of positivity and a point of negativity.

He’d been suspicious from the moment he crossed the red eyes of this skeleton. He refused to trust him. Perhaps he was right, in doing so.

Stuck until the repair of the machine in the basement, at the beginning, he insisted that the newcomer sleep at the INN. He did not want to see this clone with sharp teeth in the same house as his brother at night.

But due to being with him every day, working, eating, laughing with him, he forgot his distrust and began to like him. He eventually agreed that he could sleep on the sofa so that he could save time.

The time passed faster than it seemed to pass before his coming among them. And, for the first time for a long time, he was happy to get up in the morning. Because he could spend time with his new best friend. Finally somebody else than his brother had entered his life. Certainly, he had LV, but with time, he believed that it was only by self-defense. His world seemed so horrible, he almost did not want him to leave, but Sans, that they had decided to call Red to avoid the confusion, seemed well decided to repair this cursed machine and to go back home.

Papyrus hoped that he’d change his mind, he saw his new friend becoming more and more nervous according to their progress on the machine. One night, he overheard a conversation between Red and somebody on the phone. He glimpsed his friend playing nervously with his collar while begging somebody to forgive him. If he did not know him so well, Papyrus would have sworn he saw tears pearling in Red’s eyes.

The next day, he acted like nothing happened. Papyrus did not want to confront him about that. If he did, maybe it would have changed everything.

The machine was repaired, and Red left them with the promise to return very soon. Papyrus returned to his state of permanent lethargy until the day when Red returned in their life. Sans was so happy he insisted on preparing a big party. But Red was coming for an affair there. His sovereign, the Tyrant Asgore, wished to meet Queen Toriel to propose an alliance. To share their resources could only help them get out of the Underground faster.

To Papyrus’s surprise, Red did not seem as excited by this prospect as he should. He seemed not to care for the liberation of monsters. But Papyrus knew that his friend remembered other timelines. Doubtless he had his reasons to not be delighted.

The meeting was organized for the next week and Red decided to remain with them. But he had changed. Often, he heard him cry in the evening, and he worried. He also tried to spend more time outside to look for isolated places. When Papyrus asked him why he behaved like that, Red answered simply that he was sorry. That he could not speak about it. He should have insisted.

  
  


The day of the meeting arrived. The machine had been moved outside so that the immense monarch of the other world could come out easily. Papyrus shivered when he saw him appear from nowhere in front of the machine. He was accompanied by two unarmed guards, Red had warned that his sovereign went nowhere without his personal escort.

They were escorted by Alphys and her best guards. Sans had asked for a party of the welcoming committee but, not being an official member of the Royal Guard, that was refused to him.

  
  


To comfort the energetic skeleton, Red suggested that Papyrus to go and fetch him a present. Maybe there was some new action movie DVD fallen in the dump, they could make it a surprise. Paps asked to his brother to prepare them his best baking of Tacos to celebrate the possible agreements between both worlds then they left.

Red refused to teleport, to leave time for Sans to prepare the meal. But, surprisingly, he also refused to take the River Person’s boat, insisting on going by foot. When Papyrus tried to pull him towards the boat, too lazy to walk, Red seem to have an anxiety attack. The big skeleton worried about his friend and felt largely guilty. He never seen him like that before. Red shouted at him, and once calmed, insisted on going.

They walked in an embarrassed silence. At the beginning, Red walked fast, with anger. Then he slowed down, then walked behind Papyrus who already was not going very quickly. Suddenly he stopped in the middle of Waterfall, near a bed of Echo Flowers. He fell on the knees and cried, curled up on himself.

An unpleasant smell glided in the air. And Red repeated again and again.

**" i am sorry. sorry, sorry, sorry… Pap... i am sorry. "**

More worried than ever, Papyrus turned back to try to comfort his friend. But before he could touch him or say a word, Red continued.

**" i did not want... i did not want that. please Pap, find all the monsters you can and run away."**

What does it mean? Papyrus felt his soul squeeze up in the rib cage. The air seemed denser all of a sudden. A draft crosses the cave, shaking the Echo flowers which repeated the words of Red as a sinister forerunner.

"what are you trying to say Red? is your king preparing something?"

Red began to shake and pulled on his leather collar with insistence. His face was deformed by a profound sadness and by a pain seeming to take him suddenly.

 **"not him. not** _ **only**_ **him!"**

A scream passed in caves, followed by others, becoming more and more numerous. The marrow froze in the bones of Papyrus. The unpleasant smell became stronger, carried by drafts. A smell of dust and blood.

"what have you done?! answer me, Red!"

Papyrus caught the miserable skeleton which continued to grimace as taken by a nameless suffering.

 **"the… the gate remained open. he ordered me, i could not do otherwise! i cannot even tell you what! i... i was supposed to take care of you while they take care of the others! But he forgot to use** _ **the word**_ **for you. Pap runs away now!"**

"as if i was going to let your king invade my world without doing anything!"

He released the one that he once called his friend unceremoniously and tried to run in the direction of Snowdin, hoping that his brother have not undergone an attack yet. But he was stopped by a scrawny hand hanging on to his baggy pants.

**"you do not understand! think about it, kill or be killed! in my world, we do not chase territory, we want to become stronger, we want EXP and Love! it is not an invasion!"**

Papyrus stayed one second forbids, realizing what it really was.

"It’s an extermination…"

The big skeleton did not take the time to get free of Red’s grip and teleported directly to home, taking the supplicant double of his brother with him.

Immediately he was taken by nausea. It was too hot, the air was stifling of dust and ash. Snowdin was the prey of flame. His house was not on fire yet, fortunately. To fall in a blaze would have been fatal.

But his house was upside down and in front of him, he saw his older brother in full fight against an athletic woman with blue scales and a skeleton looking a lot like him. Sans seemed in a bad state and exhausted. When their gaze crossed, Papyrus saw a hint of relief at his older brother’s eyes.

“ **WELL, SPEAK OF THE DEVIL …”**

The skeleton which had to be the Papyrus of the other world had a darker and hoarse voice. He turned to face Papyrus and Red who kept begging at his feet. The skeleton was huge, at least a head higher than him. He wore black armor and a big red scarf around his neck. His eyes were as red as those of Red but one of his orbs was crossed by a profound scar. Thus it was him, "Boss".

“leave my brother alone!”

Without waiting, the usually lazy person dashed into the battle, revealing a row of white and blue bone to attack the aggressors, but it was short-lived. He could not react as the blue woman, which looked like a warrior version of the sweet Undyne, threw herself on him with so much strength that he was thrown by the window.

At the same time, Boss approached Red and lifted him by his collar. He tried to get free with great difficulty. He saw Sans collapse on the ground and could finally see the gaping wound in his back. Guilt squeezed his soul. Everything was his fault.

 **"I am going to take care of your double, Captain. We shall finish the brat later, he is not dangerous,"** Undyne declared before following Papyrus through the window.

**"PERFECT. NOW, SANS, EXPLAIN. I ORDERED YOU TO FIND THE JUDGE AND TO ISOLATE HIM SO THAT I COULD GET RID OF HIM. AND WHEN I ARRIVED HERE, I FELL ON THIS VERSION OF YOU. I DID NOT THINK THAT YOU COULD BE MORE PATHETIC THAN YOU ALREADY ARE BUT HE’S MUCH WORSE . HE DIDN’T EVEN TRY TO FIGHT NYEHEHE… AND WHEN HE FINALLY UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WOULD NOT STOP BEFORE THIS WORLD IS COVERED WITH DUST AND OUR LV IS AT THE HIGHEST, I FOUND TO MY SURPRISE THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE KARMIC RETRIBUTION. EXPLAIN THAT, PET!"**

Papyrus had used the keyword activating the magic in the collar. Sans owed an honest answer, he did not have a choice.

**"promise Boss! i … i believed that was him … after all he’s a Sans and he commented on my Level of Violence from time to time! i … i swear Boss! AAAARG!!!!"**

His younger brother threw him to the ground with violence and summoned a blood red bone in his hand and hit him with it. Again, and again. Red felt his bones breaking under the assaults of his brother. He screamed, implored. He had told the truth! Boss did not want to kill him, otherwise he would have already died. His HP came down until it reached 0.001. His body was nothing more than pain. He wanted to die, he deserved it to have participated in this masquerade. But his brother would not let him go. After what seemed to be an eternity, he was lifted by the collar and thrown outdoors.

  
  


Enormous bruises covered Papyrus’s body. This cursed version of Undyne had bashed up him well. He had fortunately managed to hurt her before getting rid of her by teleporting in a place way back in Waterfall before returning. He had to save his brother! He hardly returned before a mass was thrown on him from the window. It was Red. And he was in a sad state. The marrow of his bones was dripping from his clothes and his right orb was broken. A big piece of bone had got loose from it.

Surprised seeing his former friend in such a state, he wanted to get free of him to return inside but an explosion came and powerful flames came out of the broken window.

" Sans!! " He shouted panicked. It was hopeless. He had lost everything, he lost his brother, his best friend betrayed him and his world was under attack. Tears of magic, pure and orange, pearled from his eyes. Shocked, not able to think correctly, he put his hands around Red to comfort him. He needed something to cling. And this face similar to his brother’s helped him not to lose his mind.

**" wa.. tch… out … "**

The warning of Red made him become aware of the familiar sound nearby. The particular treble of a creature that he thought he was the only one to be able to call. He turned his head to see Boss coming out of the house in flame, bone in his hand, dragging Sans unconscious but alive, on the ground. At his side, a Gaster Blaster loaded its mortal attack, turned in his direction.

There was still hope, his brother was alive, there was hope!.

**" I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU ESCAPED UNDYNE. BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER. YOU’RE GOING TO WITNESS, WITH MY USELESS EXCUSE OF A BROTHER, WHAT IT MEANS TO DECEIVE THE GREAT AND TERRIFYING PAPYRUS! "**

The bone he held in his hand became sharper, and he aimed it at Sans, ready to finish him…

But a small distinctive ringing stopped him in his movement and the powerful skeleton was sent against the wall of the house in flame with strength. The Blaster fired but the mortal beam touched only the surrounding trees. Boss's soul was blue. Papyrus held him.

  
  


"Nobody touches my brother! ...you’re going to have a bad time.”

Papyrus’s right eye was illuminated as never Red had seen him. Even with his disturbed vision, he could see the intense look his friend threw towards his younger brother.

"It is a beautiful day outside. Birds are singing, flowers are blooming. on days like this, monsters like you…"

**"should be burning in hell."**

"should be burning in hell."

Red recognized this dialogue. He had more or less the same. It was the words of a Judge. He had made a mistake. Never would he have imagined that a Papyrus could be a Judge. After all, it was the third world which they had ravaged, and all had a Sans for their Judge.

His fragile and dying soul was divided between the will to see his friend safe and sound and the fear of losing his younger brother. Both outcomes seemed unthinkable. He listened to the appeal of his tired soul. His eyes closed slowly, painfully. He thought one last time of Papyrus, how much he loved him. In his frenzy, he did not even know which one anymore. Doubtless, both.

The world around him became empty, his consciousness drifted until he was no more than an empty shell. It must be what it felt to Fall Down.

  
  


Papyrus looked at the skeleton on the ground in front of him. He was only some HP away from death, the Karmic Retribution making it fall slowly, one by one, he soon would have only one HP left. He was going to make him pay for what he did to Sans.

He was going to make him suffer for Red’s treason. Then he would hunt the monsters of the other world, the Karmic Retribution would be the best weapon against them. The higher their Level of Violence, the more he damaged them.

Boss answered with an attack that he avoided with no problem at all.

But having evaded, he felt an inconceivable pain cross him. Something had gone through his back ribs and had plunged directly into its soul. Pure magic flowed from his back. He heard then the voice of Undyne, full of arrogance.

**" I won, Pap! This time it is I who got the Judge! "**

Stabbed in the back. It was a coward's method. He turned slowly the head to see the red eyes of his murderer glittering with victory. Paralyzed by pain, he soon realized that she was the only thing which prevented him from falling when she removed her blade from his back. Papyrus collapsed in the snow, the head quite close Red’s. The traitor’s eyes were closed, he seemed peaceful. He too wanted to close his eyes, but he did not want, he could not! Not as long as his brother needed him.

**" YOU TOOK YOUR TIME! BUT I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT I COULDN’T ASK MORE FROM THE ROYAL ASSASSIN. VERY BEAUTIFUL EXECUTION! MY TURN NOW"**

Undyne helped Boss get up. He walked immediately to take place above Sans and finished him with one swift movement, not leaving more than a blue bandana and some dust which flew away.  It added itself to the already saturated air.

There was no more hope. Papyrus closed his eyes.

 


	2. Ruins

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My friend who wanted to help me correct this chapter and the following couldn't do it. So here it is, like i wrote it with my approximative english. English is not my native language so it's really hard to translate...  
> You can comment the errors and hos to correct it in the comment to help me if you want, it will help me get better in english.
> 
> Hope you'll like this chapter anyway!

A powerful headache woke her. She could hear around her the clamors of monsters. Many cried, others let out their anger, but all spoke about the same thing.

She would never have believed that she would like noise before this day, her who exiled herself in Waterfall for its tranquillity. Every noise amplifies her pain, reminding her that she was still alive. She had managed to survive.

But where was she? She couldn’t see. She felt something soft had been tightened around the head. She did not want to touch it.

But she did not recognize the sound of this place. There was no soft splashes of water like in Waterfall or the smothering heat of Hotland. It was not cold there enough for being Snowdin either. Maybe the capital but in this case the enemy was near and the ambient speaking of the monsters was dangerous. No, she did not feel the aura of the barrier as close as in New Home.

She tried to concentrate to try to have more information.

“ Hey, I think she woke up! ” Says a familiar voice not far from her.

“ Captain? You are with us? ” Asked an other, graver one.

She grumbled as any answer. They were too near and their baritone voices resounded in the head.

“ Jeanot? Garret? Where are we? ” She just hoped that they had not taken her in the dump. But the smell here was not disagreeable thus it wasn’t the case. That smelt flowers.

“ In the Ruins, we had of to make a big detour but we brought to you in safety. ”

“ In the what?! ” She got up all of a sudden, waking some wounds doing it. Her breath was cut, she was extended by powerful arms. Feelling the fur, she knew it was Jeanot.

“ Slow down! You will reopen your wounds! ”

“ H… How? ”

It was this time Garret’s voice that answered.

“ We… We traveled the old mine between New Home and Snowdin. We… we know that it it is dangerous but we were lucky. The rare collapses were not on us. ”

The Old Mines. They had been condemned by the sovereigns since their arrival in the Underground. The human had dig them to find coal and had abandoned them like then. They connected perfectly the low caves of Snowdin and the sewers of New Home but the tunnels, badly conceived, tended to collapse for nothing.

“ It was dangerous but we could not leave you there. Even if you had to dust on us, we would not have left without you. ”

She grinned. These two were really too good.

“ Haps which told us that the Ruins would open to the survivors. ”

“ Why not the Lab? Usually it is the best place to take refuge. ”

They were a long silence between both men. She couldn’t see their faces but the only fact they stayed silent worried her.

“ Do not tell me that … ”

“ According to the last message from Grillby, they managed to enter the Lab. Napstatton did not survive … ”

“ And … And Undyne? ”

“ We do not know at the moment. King Asg … I mean… Sir Asgore seems to receive information sometimes but won’t say a thing. ”

Asgore? The King would have hidden in Ruins during all these years. She did not know if she wanted to hit him or be delighted by his presence.

“Fetch these information at once! I need to know if the Royal Scientist is still alive!” She heard hasty steps and felt the wind of Garret’s wings beating to go faster. It is a pity they had not been in the Royal Guard, at least they knew how to obey orders.

 

* * *

 

No refugee had gone this far in the Ruins. It was doubtless its last haven of peace. He needed time to think. The moment was grave but he needed to think alone. The refugees were very noisy and he was not used to have so much company. Furthermore, he did not want to impose his presence. He knew that the monster in charge of the massacre was another version of himself.

The firsts to arrive were all from Snowdin. Many dogs, some rare rabbits survivors of the Royal Guard and Muffet, the barmaid. Then in the evening arrived a group from the capital. They had taken a very dangerous path to come to the Ruins. Hapstablook had apparently advised the survivors that the Ruins would be opened to the persons in need.

The Guardian of the Ruins was proud of his ghost friend. He had saved numerous lives. Now he only hoped that the enemy wasn’t aware of this.

Asgore raised his green eyes towards the hole above him. One of the rare places where we could still see the sky of the surface. It rained. No need to water the flowers today. He thanked the stars for these rainy drops, they hid his tears.

His wife was dead. He had left her after she had made the decision to kill the humans falling in the Underground but still, he always loved her sincerely. Bitter, he regretted not having been able to see her one last time. If he had been by her side, could he have been able to save her… would he have died with her?

Both cases seemed preferable for he was scared of the future from now.

The survivors demanded vengeance for the deads. No child had reached the Ruins and the rare news reported by Haps and by the rare calls received by the survivors were disturbing.

Some people told that all the children had been taken by the invaders through the portal. A Fire Elemental from the capital had news from her father who managed a group of survivor in the Core. And finally, there was Muffet.

When she had arrived from Snowdin, she had immediately spoken to him. She had an idea. He gave her the child’s room for what it had to make. At least, somebody had hope, even a small one.

And he wanted to believe in it. He wished to believe. 

 

* * *

 

Going out of the child’s room, transformed into care room, Muffet approached a girl dressed like a punk, cowering in the hallway, hung on her phone. A green Fire she knew well. She had arrived with the group of survivor from New Home.

“ News? ”

“ Yes. Dad and his men resist well at the moment. The magic and the traps of my father slow the ennemis. ”

“ And Undyne? ”

“ They found her but she will not hold for long in Hotland. They took some water with them but it evaporates fast. ”

“ And they are not able to use the same passage as you? The old mines? ”

“ For that they would have to get rid of their aggressors to make an exit. ”

“ Your father is a veteran no? He must have an idea! ”

“ You don’t know him Muffy! He lost it for years. He do not think like you and me. ”

The spider sighed and dropped next to Fuku.

“ And we can’t count on Alphys to go to help them either … She woke up? ”

“ Yes, she asked to see Asgore. ”

“ Did someone told her about… ”

Fuku shrugged and took out of her bag a flask. Doubtless some alcohol or gasoline. The only things that Fire Elemental could drink. Muffet knew that Fuku was the kind of monster who drink to have fun … And irritate her father.

The Fire girl drank a big mouthful and tidied up the flask on its place without proposing it.

“ No. You want to do it? ”

“ And to risk my neck? Even blind, I bet she is capable of finding me and torn me apart! ”

She tried to laugh. She did not make it, it was not sincere. And she was so tired. She hasn’t slept since before the attack.

“ Otherwise. What’s in this room? Asgore forbade to go there, except for you . ”

“ Badly wounded monsters, they cannot be in contacts with the others, that could kill them. I look after them, this is why I have the right to go there. ”

“ And the others? ”

“ Their lives are not in danger anymore and the healing magic manages to heal their wounds. ”

“ And not those in the room? ”

“ No. They Fallen Down. We need Undyne! Without her, we cannot save them! ”

“ Then they are lost … ”

Muffet got up, demoralized by the words of her young friend and went away to join the hall of the king’s house. There was dozens of monsters. Some cried, others, hung on on their telephones, shouted or repeated the same looped numbers. But most discussed between them.

And all of the same subject. Those native of Snowdin cried out that they were suspicious since the beginning. That they should have hunted Red out of their village from the first day. That it was obvious that this skeleton so strange set them a trap.

If she was not so polite and diplomat, Muffet would have told them to shut up. Nobody had seen it coming, it was not after the disaster that it was necessary to react if they had so been so persuaded that Red would betray them. Herself only  half believed in it  .

She liked this small skeleton. Even if he preferred the spicy flavor of mustard to the sweetness of honey. Yet, she learnt to appreciate him. And he brought back Papyrus true smile.

It was her who found them, wounded, unconscious and together. If Red had betrayed them, would the other have left him for dead? She had arrived just after the departure of the evils Papyrus and Undyne. To avoid confusion, she named them Demon and Shark.

The Shark had seriously hurt Papyrus and had left him for dead in the snow and ashes of Snowdin. With her arachnidan stealth, she approached her best customer and friend and verified his state. He was dying. The wound in his soul could be mortal in itself if she did not stop the magiarhagia (magic hemoragie)  but even if she healed him, she could see at first glance that he had been poisoned.

Being a spider, her knew a lot about poison. She could delay the effects with a dose of her own while waiting for a chance to purge it.

She used her magic strings to sew the soul wound of the skeleton and her saliva to paralyze the magic flow and stop the poison, stabilizing him.

After a quick look at Red, she knew that she could do nothing for him personally, but he could be useful. And if the rumors were real, Undyne was able of bringing him out of his state.

But for that, she had to find a safe place. Just staying near the skeletons put her in danger. She whistled, making come to her hundreds of spiders as well as her pet who wrapped the skeletons in white silk, protecting them. She was about to leave towards the forest with her two burdens when she glanced at the square of the house of the skeleton brothers to see well known blue bandana covered with dust. One second could make the difference between life and death in this situation but she could not leave the adorable Sans behind, even dead. Quick as lightning, she caught the garment before charging the remaining skeletons on the back of Cupcake and ran away.

It was there that she had found survivors. Some were on the phone and she learnt that running away to Holland’s labs was out of the question. They could hear the howling of the Dogs from the evil universe in the forest. Their only chance were the Ruins, which door was sealed from centuries.

This how she had found herself in the house of Former King with the survivors. She had given for mission to look after the wounded, whoever it was, but first and foremost, Papyrus.

She had saved him after several hours of intervention. To look after a soul was a delicate operation. Now was only necessary to wait that he wakes up. If he ever woke up. His HPs had drastically fallen. To give him luck, she had attached the bandana around his neck. She was sure that it was what he would have wanted.

Red had been hidden from the other survivors by Asgore. He had understood Muffet’s intention by saving him. But the monster had Fallen Down. A miracle was needed for him to wake up, even if his Hope went back to a single decimal. A miracle, or the famous treatment from Undyne.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It wasn't supposed to be a multichapter fic in the beginning. But the moment I've ended writing Hopeless, I had in mind what must have happened next so i wrote it down.  
> Hehe! I never told that Strech had died! YEah he was stabbed and all but, here, Fell!Undyne is still to confident and didn't drop all his HP. She thought the poison was enough to finish him. Thank you muffet! You're the only spider i'm not scared of!
> 
> Again, I hope you liked it! Thanks for reading and see you soon for Chapter 3!


	3. Regrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this chapter was not corrected... sorry.  
> Hope you'll like it anyway

And one more! He felt his power grow at the same time as his Level of Violence. The monster he killed must have been really powerful. He would have rather fought him in a fair fight if he could. But he was one of the entrenched from the CORE. And he had to admit that killing the alternative Chillby from this universe was enthralling. At home, the Fire Elemental was a veteran from the Human War who became a barman. Here, he seemed to be just some Candy Man.

But his death gave him tons of Execution Points. So this soft candle must have been a veteran too. He could brag about it with his friend.

She couldn’t get over the fact that she didn’t get the expected EXP from filling the Judge. That weakling version of him must still be alive or he really was too weak. If the latter, then his death was useless. His brother’s treason was useless. Even if it wasn’t the first time he hurted his brother to the brink of death, Papyrus regretted his older brother.

He knew for a fact that the small skeleton was alive, somewhere The Relique he wears under his armor confirmed it every instant. Even if at that time, he wanted to kill Sans, after days of reflexion he knew that his sibling couldn’t have betrayed his universe.

He took from under his armor a rudimentary necklace made with a string and a single tooth. Reliques were a old practice from his world, the ultimate sign of trust. Those who had one of this were rare. He knew at the time being only Chillby, Asgore and him had one.

A Relique was a part of a monster, willingly given to prove one’s loyalty. Papyrus had his brother tooth, which was replaced by a golden one for esthetic purpose. Chillby had a finger, but never told the Captain of the Royal Guard who gave it to him and why. And, lastly, Asgore had Undyne left eye.

The more dangerous it was for the monster to give the part of them, the more precious was the Relique. Sans’s tooth was priceless because he was a 1HP monster. Undyne’s eye was a real treasure, it was constantly exposed in Asgore throne room.  They were told that Undyne took it out herself in front of the King to give it as a gift. It was in itself a symbol of the King’s power. The monster who crushed the woman’s will until gaining her undying loyalty.

Papyrus never had to do a thing to gain his brother’s loyalty. Maybe he could have done more. If he did, Sans would have never liked his double this much.

The Captain looked at the massive door of the Ruins. He new the last survivors were inside. He had to finish the job. Destroy every single lives in this pitiful universe and get to the highest LOVE ever.

If his brother survived long enough, he would also give him one last chance. If he wouldn’t grab it, then the dog would kneel before his master.

* * *

 

All that rest was a tiny bundle of dust and a pair of glasses on the floor. He fought until the end. But he did it. And now, she was crying. And it hurts. Her people learned from childhood to never ever show their emotions and to never cry. Crying ment suffering and loss of HP. Fire Elemental couldn’t cry.

But then, two lines, black as coals traced her cheeks. Her flame was smaller, paller. Now her father was a hero instead of the crazy Candy Man everyone made fun of. She didn’t see him, she was too late.

The survivors passed her without seeing her. Muffet was with Undyne, she didn’t see her too. And now, she was alone, before the door and the little bundle of dust that was her father. 

She took the glassed and began to play with it between her fingers. Like when she was little, when her dad was still mentally stable. Then, she often hide it from him just to watch him search for it. She always end her game trading it to him for a kiss and a warm hug. He was always late for work after this game but he never seemed to care about that.

Now that she was older, she knew he left his glasses only for her to play this game. To make her happy. And how did she repay him?

By letting him down when he needed her most. By calling him crazy and doing everything to get on his nerve. By blaming him for every little thing wrong in her life.

She began to cry harder. She needed it to go, all of her tears, all of her sorrow. He wanted this hurtful tears to mark her skin forever. To never forget all the missed moments. To mark in her skin all her regrets.

* * *

 

They gave her some time with Alphys. Since her arrival in the Ruins, she was bombarded of questions from the others survivors. Most of them concerned their family and her so called cure for the one who Fallen.  Ahd mostly if they survived the attack. But again, she couldn’t answer any of the questions. Asgore and the Spider Monster called Muffet asked for her too. They said they had something important to talk about. But she was so stressed she couldn’t help anyone. She needed time.

She had been pursued by the monsters of the other world, Grillby had sacrificed himself to save her. She could not think clearly after of such events. Then someone told her about Alphys’s state and she had insisted to see her.

Her reunions with the beautiful lizard woman were rich in emotion. Even if they were only friends until now, Undyne felt relieved to know the Captain was still alive. Even if she was hurt.

Alphys had expressed her relief too. Apparently, all her thoughts had been turned only to the scientist these few days.

Never had she hoped to see the girl of her heart confessing her feelings in such circumstances.

Fortunately, they were left alone until the early hours where Asgore serve them breakfast. And he reminded to her that he needed her for an emergency.

Against her heart, she agreed to see what it was, promising to Alphys to return very fast. She followed the former King in the short corridor of his house up to a door which he opened with a key hidden under his garment. It was a rather small room, Muffet was there, sat at the edge of a bed where a well known skeleton was lengthened, inert.

Undyne was surprised and shocked to see the state in which he was. She could see from the entrance door which that Papyrus’s soul was damaged beyond repair. Then she noticed on another bed, on the other side of the room slept Sans. No … Red. Or at least she could believe that he slept. But the young scientist had seen enough monster having Fallen to recognize one at first glance.

In no time, she judged that the priority went to Papyrus. Asgore closed the door behind her, saying he would return very fast. She was alone with both wounded skeletons and Muffet. The arachnid looked at her with her five dark eyes, worried.

Without waiting, Undyne asked the questions of use on the state of the patient. Certainly, she was not a doctor but she knew how to look all the same. She had not had her PHDs just by playing with the mechanics of Nabstatton.

Taking the place of the spider, the woman fish began examining Papyrus. "What happened to him?" "He was stabbed directly in his soul. With some poison."

Frowning, Undyne took out the inverted heart from the skeleton ribcage. The soul shone weakly and was no more than half of its normal size. The image of a broken heart upside down. Purplish points followed the torn edge of the soul. It was disturbing. He should have died of a wound so grave. Nevertheless he had not fallen in dust. Especially with some poison. Looking closer, she realized that the purple points were not motionless poison dots but strings made of pure magic. 

“What have you done to him?!”she asked, shocked.

"I did what I was could! I am not a doctor. I … I wanted to purge the poison but it was so deep in its soul I ..."

"With what you took him he should have died already! Do you have any idea of how he risks to wake up? If he only wakes up one day! He’s a Skeleton! He needs ALL his magic if only to stay in a single piece!"

She saw the numerous eyes of the young woman watered. 

Raising her glasses, Undyne tried to transfer a little of her magic in the soul. Without real success. 

"I have never seen that but I read some cases of magic not answering anymore in magic dependant monster being. He risks to lose parts of him, not being able to walk anymore. And if he can remain complete, then it will be his spirit which will have suffered …" 

"I … I wanted just … He’s the Judge! He … He could free us of these devils …"

Undyne did not answer, letting an annoying silence glide between her and the arachnid. She replaced the soul, she did not dare to say it but, instead of Muffet, she would have let Papyrus die. She glanced at the blue bandana stained with marrow around the neck of the skeleton. Papyrus would have never wanted to survive his brother. 

"With only half of the soul … He could have even lost his power as the Judge."

She read the regret in the eyes of Muffet. Apparently, she finally became aware of her acts.

Undyne got up and went to examine Red, disgusted.

She hardly dared to approach. The actions of monsters coming from the same world as had definitively soiled her the vision of Red. She was afraid of him.

But she still wanted to know what she could do with him. Who knows, he could be useful to charge in the other Papyrus for what had arrived at Grillby.

She noticed numerous fractures on his bones, the most impressive being above his right eye, A big piece of the eye socket had gone loose. His left femur was broken and several his ribs were fractured.

But most of all, he had Fallen. A ball formed in her throat. She carried a hand in the phial hidden under her clothes.

"He needs your treatment for those who Fallen Down. We … we need him for …" 

"No …" 

"What?" 

"No … I cannot wake him. Let him die. I … I cannot give him that I …"

She trembled. She had kept with her a sample of Determination. She kept it on her for weeks, since her error, since the Amalgamates.

After its failure, she made herself a necklace with a phial of determination to carry her regrets near her soul. To never forget. And she never wanted to use this liquid. She would not even use it on her worst enemy. 

"And then … he … he deserves what arrives at him is it not? It … it's his fault all of this happened."

Muffet seemed to hesitate before answering. 

"And if he was also deceived? He is strange yes but … I always found him kind and Pap likes him so much. I found them lying next to one another. And ..." 

"And?" 

"Asgore and I have a plan. And for that, we need both judges." 

"Both …?" Undyne had a new look on Red.

She needed details. But she began to get an idea how to exploit the presence of the enemy Judge. If Muffet and Asgore had had the same idea, it was brilliant and completely crazy. Suicidal even. But in view of the events, whatever happens, they were condemned. If they did nothing, the aggressors would eventually leave or kill them … But in both cases, the CORE would explode due to lack of maintenance and cooling.

She wanted to ask for more details to Muffet but was interrupted by the rattle of bones followed by groan. Both women turned around. One couldn’t believe her eyes, the other one had hers filled with hope.

Papyrus had turned his head in their direction. His eyes were opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Relique thing is a headcanon I have ( again...) I think it's the kind of thing that feel right in a world like Underfell.  
> If you want to know more about the Enucleation story, go read the chapter Loyalty in my serie of OneShots Fatherhood.  
> Swap!Undyne is not like UTAlphys. Same mistake, different characters, different way to handle it. ^^
> 
> Please leave a comment if you've seen any mistake, if you have a question or just if you want to share your thought on the story, I'll gladly answer it!  
> Thank you for reading this story and see you soon for chapter 4!


	4. Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I did the translation myself so if you see any errors, please tell me so I can fix it.

"Come one, just a little more and it’s over"  
She raised the spoon of soup and brought it to the mouth of the skeleton. She waited, nervous. Then was relieved when he half-opened his teeth to let in the spoon.  
She blamed herself horribly for what state he was in . But at least he was alive. It was certainly selfish from her but she preferred to see him like that that to know him dead.  
Undyne and her had helped him sit down on the bed and he had not moved this position since. The fish woman then examined him.  
Muffet sat next to him and had taken his hand in two of hers, the four others were occupied with playing nervously with her hair.  
Papyrus did not even look at them, he had said nothing and only looked permanently in the direction of Red’s bed . Only his right eye seemed to work, an orange-colored spot light permanently in it. Undyne said it may be an excess of magic which could not be stored anymore because the soul was damaged.  
She take on her to take care of him, optimist as she was to see him recover his strengths and, why not, showing a sign of consciousness. She didn’t want to leave his side now that he was awake.  
She was afraid of seeing him disappearing as soon as she would turn her back, like that sometimes arrived when he came in her bar, often when she approached with about his tab. It amused her.  
When Asgore had arrived, she asked him if he could bring something to eat. The Monster Boss returned fast with a bowl of snail soup. And just in time because Undyne had ended the examination on Papyrus and had asked to speak in private to former king.  
She had not said much to arachnid. Just some remarks during the examination which she had been able to get.  
She had since applied to feed the skeleton. At first by using the magic like she did it since a few days, directly through the soul of his friend but after two spoon, she had noticed a light movement of mouth. She had then approached the spoon and had noticed that he ate normally. Except that he needed help to move.  
The meal was long. Just a few spoons were left in the bowl. He had almost eaten everything. She had pricked some spoonful, she had not realized that she too was hungry, incited that she was to finally see her dear friend waking up.  
She put the spoon in the bowl and put it on the ground while holding in her other hands those of his friend. Then, slowly, her snuggled up against him, putting his head against his clavicle. She had dreamed about this closeness since as long as she knew the skeleton. It would have been even better if he was conscious. That he thinks of her, of them.  
She remained silent to dream about might have been without this tragedy. But even her dreams were tinged with the consciousness of the fact that he had never loved her this way. He(i had never smiled for her as he smiled for Red. He never had with her conversation as deep as with Red … He never looked at her as he looked at Red.  
And she was fine with it. As long as Papyrus was happy, even in a totally unilateral and platonic relation, she accepted.  
The door opened and the young spider jumped away , releasing his hands suddenly. The skeleton did not react. Undyne was at the door.  
" Asgore wants to speak with us. "

 

There is no more heat, there is no noise anymore. Or just the noises far off but constant. He’s not in his home. He would know it.  
Around his neck, he feel an unusual but familiar object. He does not see it. He does not want to look at it for the moment. No, he refuses to leave his eyes of the skeleton on the opposite bed.  
He do not remember why but opposite feelings invaded him from the moment he opened eyes to observe him. There was a lot of affection, sadness too, the whole mixed with a profound anger. He resented this motionless and defenseless being.  
" S...aaaan… s... " He tried to call him.  
Just pronouncing these words was a torture. His whole body was suffering permanently since even before he woke up. But any gesture as small as it was amplified the pain.  
He wanted only one thing, that everything stops, that everything begins again. He knew the word but couldn’t remember it, he just knew that it was possible.  
He wanted to sleep also, and not wake up. That the pain stops until he would be woken by …  
" Sans? "  
He still says the name. He did not know if he spoke about that one or about an other one. Everything was vague in his mind. This name, this word evoked him so much opposite emotion.  
But this Sans, this skeleton, he could not sleep before he did something.  
He winked and found himself perched like a crow on the opposite bed, just above the inanimate skeleton.  
" Saaaans. " He escaped, all the hatred of the world in his voice. Did he hate him? Probably. But his face evoked so a lot of love and tenderness.  
He thought of the blue. It’s beautiful, blue. It is a soft color.  
He notices that the skeleton below him wears a red shirt. He don’t like red. He could even say that he saw red when he saw it.  
He laughs inside. A sinister laughter. This skeleton is red. He has to make something.  
His soul seems to pull, sending a new wave of suffering Something appearing in his right hand. He do not see what that is, just a profound orange light. But he know just one thing. With that, the red will disappear …


	5. The Plan

Alphys fulminated. Undyne had just informed her. If she could see her, she would have already pursued Muffet to choke her with her braids. How did she dare to help a traitor?!

It would be easy to spoil everything, to round up the survivors to finish him. But Undyne had begged her to listen to Muffet and Asgore’s plan before making no anything.

She accepted.

With everything that happened, she could refuse nothing to Undyne.

She, thus, followed her, or rather, she had been guided. And as she hated that. She could never see her dear Undyne. She had become dependent on others to move. Nobody here really knew how to help a blind person, she had to find how autonomous all by herself. Furthermore, every step was a torture. She had globally recovered well from her injuries but she still had some pains which she tried to hide by clenching her teeth.

Certainly, Undyne was there but, the woman fish was not a healer…

Undyne stopped and Alphys was able to smell clearly the characteristic and subtle odor of Buttercup from the former king and the aroma of coffee and honey from Muffet.

They were there. But where was it "there"? The Ruins irritated her, wherever she was, she felt oppressed. She did not know this environment. In Waterfall, even blind, she knew so well every cave that she would have felt capable of fighting.

" So? What’s you plan? "

She wanted to come to the fact, and if it did not please her, one might as well say that Red would not stay alive much longer.

Asgore’s voice resonated.

" Both wounded monsters, Papyrus and … Red that's it? "

" Yes. " confirmed Muffet’s voice.

" They’re both Juges. They have in them a power called the Karmic Remuneration. The more Level of Violence their opponent have, the more their attacks make damages. They can see the LOVE of any monster or human beings they meet. It is a rather rare power, usually, only a Judge exists at the same time. When a Judge dies, he can take decades to centuries before an other one appears. "

" Paps would have such power? And haven’t told me?! Shit! "

" Calm down Alph ' " murmured the Undyne’s voice near her.

" All right … But how do we know that the Traitor is a Judge? "

Muffet was the one who answered this question.

" Papyrus and Red spent a lot of time in my Café. One night they were so drunk that Pap had fallen asleep. And Red was so tipsy, he just started to talk to me about his life… And he told me that in the conversation. "

" It’s a pity he was not drunk enough to tell you his plans then … "

She heard an  annoyed sigh from the arachnid girl.

" Anyway, they did not die as Undyne told you. Papyrus woke up early. He is in a very bad state. And we hoped we could wake Red. "

" But for that … They want that I use the remedy which I tested for the Fallen monsters. "

Alphys was surprised. Undyne seemed really embarrassed. Her voice trembled, the same way it did when she hid something.

" Dyne? "

" Red has Fallen. He will not wake up unless… I give him a little help. But m - my remedy is still experimental and and there are unwanted side effects. "

" And can we not just get Paps’s help and let this asshole die? "

" No! " Shouted Muffet " no, just with Paps, that will not work! The plan is not to kill all those demons, that would be no use "

" What? " Alphys did not understand any more. She believed that the idea was to get rid of invaders by using the power of the Judges.

Asgore continued, his voice was very soft.

" Even if we get rid of them, we are condemned. We are not enough. And the CORE  is not maintained anymore … We have only shortly before that it explodes. Even if we were free to go to take care of it from now on, we would only push away the inevitable. "

Undyne explained.

" We are going to use Red’s machine… It will be simpler if it is him who manipulates it. Yes… If we manage to evacuate towards another universe, not Red’s one but an other, we could be saved. A universe where we would begin our lives again. "

" And the kids that they kidnapped?! And if the other world is the worse than the one they are from? "

" I-It’s a risk we must take. "

Muffet added.

" Papyrus can protect Red while he manipulates the machine. Or better, if Red manages to teach Undyne to use the machine, both Judges can protect her meanwhile. "

" And why add me in your secret plan? You know very well how much I hate this shit of a skeleton. "

"Exactly" murmured Undyne. Her voice really had the gift to calm the fits of anger of the young lizard. " Even blind y-you are respected by everybody. Now that you know the... plan you can help us to calm the others refugees if Red came to wake up. They too are angry at him… I am too. But as long as he’s useful, somebody has to make it understand to the others. "

" And if we succeed… Can we bring him to justice? "

There was had a long silence. She did not like that. They could speak in sign language between them and she would not know it. Then finally, Asgore broke the silence.

" Naturally. "

" Anyway, the window of action will be very small. My my re-remedy … It’s side effects take severals hours to apear. "

" And when are you going to use your remedy Dyne? "

" As soon as I’ll to what extent Pap can be useful for us you see he… "

" Wait!" Ordered the captain. " Somebody approaches "

She indeed heard precipitate steps approaching. And the noise of unstable flames.

" Fuku arrives "

And indeed, she soon heard Fuku’s voice.

" Muffy! The room with your sick monsters has a strange orange light there which… "

Alphys heard several hasty steps. She did not smell any more the odors of Undyne and Muffet. The characteristic  smell of methylated from the Fire Elemental also went away. She was alone with the old king.

 

 

A crowd of curious had accumulated in the hallway. Muffet had to use her capacities of spider to cross it. Climbing on the ceiling, she was indeed able to see that a strong orange light passing through the gape of the door.

Her heart skipped a beat, she hoped Papyrus was okay.

" Move away! " She shouted, dropping in front of the door.

She took out a key of her pocket and opened the door just enough to enter without letting the curious onlookers see what was hidden inside.

And what she saw in the room petrified her. Papyrus was on the Red’s bed, an orange bone in one hand, he did not move. And an enormous head, a draconian skull or rather half of a draconian skull in decomposition floated in the middle of the room, turned to the bed. An orangy energy, the origin of lights going out of the room, accumulated in its center. Its mouth was half-opened and it seemed that the energy urged for the thing to opens it big to go out.

Paps had made that with only half of his soul… She did not know that he could be so powerful. And that terrified her. Was he really trying to attack Red?

" Papyrus! Stop! "

Much to her surprise, she saw the skeleton turning his head slowly toward her. The orange magic continued to escape from what seemed to be his only valid eye. She tried to approach him but hardly had she made a step that a barrier of bone formed in front of her, almost touching her.

She noticed a detail which urged her to continue hre attempts.

She moved back and climbed on the wall to avoid the attack and tried to approach again, using her arachnidan capacities. Bones on the ground disappeared but others appeared from the wall in front of her. Surprised, she took the attack quite hard. She clenched her teeth, her HPs had taken a blow. She was not in the best of shape but she could still take some knocks like that. She had to go one.

She crawled towards the ceiling, trying to keep her hands anchored well on the surface. She was in pain, she had some cuts from the last attack. Her fight buttons had appeared in front of her. Her magic had reacted to the aggression. Indefatigably, she used one of her hands to push the Act button and Move. Her soul, as Pap’s mutilated one, were in the open now. That began to be dangerous. She did not know which was the mental state of her dear friend. If he really had murderous intentions towards her or not.

A light appeared under her limbs in the ceiling and she dropped on the ground to avoid a new attack. She took a look at the nightmarish appearance. It had lost some of her substance, falling in pieces in front of her eyes. But its jaw was a little more opened than later. She had to arrive in front of both skeletons and fast.

She was so close, the room was not very big but Papyrus defended his position too well. Hardly had she made a step that a new attack took her for target. She was too close to give up. Clenching teeth, she dived in height into the wall of bones. Every blow cut her flesh a little more. But finally she was in front of the bed. The thing had again lost a little of its substance.

" Papyrus! Stop that! Please! "

She heard a banging. Undyne had just entered. The terror was read in her eyes while she fixed the half strange skull.

" Undyne! Don’t move! Papyrus went nuts! He will attack you if you move. "

She returned her attention on her friend. He continued to stare at her. With calculated gesture, she raised two of her bloody arms and caressed his skull.

" Stop it, stop it, mercy, stop it please… "

A sound, or rather a distortion was heard. The thing fired.

In a few seconds, the four other arms had created around them a web which barely contains the energy discharge. Muffet took the rest of the attack on her, protecting the monster she loved and her last hope. He had almost no more HP. No more than 5. She could collapse at any time but she was persevering. She wanted to understand. She heard steps behind her, Undyne doubtless. Quite slowly, continuing to caress Papyrus’s face, she asked.

" This thing … Would have killed you AND Red... why? Why you did not attack him with your bones if you hate him so much? Why use this thing? "

He did not move his jaw, did not say a word. But the eyes of the spider was attracted by a light movement. One of the Papyrus’s hands moved. Quite slowly. But it formed signs. Letters and these letters, words.

Hurt and End.


	6. Red

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Careful, this chapter have an idealisation of suicide. Suicide is not funny nor it's a solution to pain and problems. The character just can't think like he used to. Don't read the second par of the chapter if you're sensible to that.

She had to fight but she finally managed to take Muffet out of the ravaged room to look after her. Asgore had arrived just in time, without that, they would be still be stuck there with Papyrus. The spider refused to leave him alone after she noticed that he could communicated by sign.

But what they had learnt mined the morale of the barmaid. From what she knew, she was the first to see hope and to hang on to it in these difficult times. She had take on her to save both skeletons despite the danger, she had done her best to look after them. And for what?

So that the one Falls Down and the other one suffers to the point of trying to kill himself, taking the first one with him.

Undyne said nothing, she remained concentrated on Muffet. Her healing magic was not the best and she only knew how to treat basic wounds but that would be enough to increase the girl’s HPs.

" Muffet… You… You don’t have to blame yourself. You did not know, you … "

" I reduced a monster to half of his soul! How I did not think that he could suffer from it from it I-I am so sorry! I could not … Not lose him! But if-if only i’ve took time to think before I... " answered the barmaid between two sobs.

" Yes you should have think before act! I have already told you. What you made to Papyrus’s soul is unspeakable but … You made it for a good cause. You looked for hope, you are the only one who… "

"No … I was selfish. Pap, Red, I did not just save them for a stupid hope! I… I could not leave him like that… Neither him, nor Red! But especially him… always him."

Undyne observed the young woman in front of her, surprised. She did not know. Nobody would have guessed that the motivations of Muffet were so personal. But it didn’t mattered. He was too late now.

"I would have made the same thing for Alphys…" she admitted. Thus "but your egoism brought us this stupid hope to get out of here we have to follow it until the end. Even if I... I feel reluctant to use the remedy on Red, I’ll make it. If I have to do it and force Pap to fight just to save a single person here I would make it. Don’t give up. Papyrus can communicate now, we can try to explain him the situation. We have to try!"

She saw Muffet to shake her head silently.

Yes, it was necessary to try. Even if she could save a single person, even if only Alphys had get out of here alive, Undyne shall not abandon as long as there would be hope.

"Asgore must be talking to him now, he understand sign language better than me. According to what he’ll learn I … I will use or not the remedy on Red."

 

This monster spoke to him, asked him questions slowly, as if he spoke to a stupid child. He did not like that. His voice reminded him something however. But it was not important. He had not managed to remove the red. He did not have been able to silence the pain invading his bones. 

She had intervened. He did not want to kill her. She was a nuisance, she spoke far too much and touched the aching bones but he did not want to kill her.

He had thus stopped.

And now he again had to listen to a nuisance. He spoke to him, asked questions. And he had to answer it with his valid hand. He did not want to butif he answered, then maybe this monster would leave him alone or will clear him of the red.

His name? He did not remember it. Where he was? He didn’t care. He only wanted to be somewhere else. Or simply not be. It would be better.

The monster asked him if he could try to speak. He says then the only word of which he really wanted to think about. This word which filled its thought of blue and red.

" Sans… "

The monster looked at him, he seemed sad. He signed him the word Stop. He did not want this look. The monster continued then to speak, but about something else. Of hopes, problems and danger of death. So much the better. The red would disappear. The pain also.

But the monster explained him that others were going to die if nothing was made. That they needed him to try to fight to help them run away.

He did not want to fight. He signed. No.

The monster insisted. He had to fight. And they were going to try to wake the red to fight too.

He asked then, signing some chosen words.

If us fight. Us can End then?

The monster looked at him a long moment after that.

" I cannot promise you that my friend. But I would not oblige you to follow us if you want to stay here with him. I-I would like to find the words to prevent you from thinking of ending yourself... "

These words were hollow. He could not understand. Only to move the fingers, move the hand was a torture. And then. There was no blue. Blue is a beautiful color. 

The monster continues to speak. He feels tired. He does not want to answer any more. He closed his eyes. If he pretended to sleep, the monster would maybe leave him alone.

 

She was really going to do it. The monsters informed about the plan had met in the skeletons room to discuss. None of them wanted to leave alone the skeletons at the moment.

Muffet still recovered from her wounds but she was relieved. Because Undyne was finally going to use the remedy on Red. She was going to do it when Asgore and Alphys will go speak to the refugees to explain them the situation. They had to have the supports of the rest of the Underground. The former King and former Captain should find with no problem the words to urge the population to follow them in this last hope.

Undyne already prepared the syringe. She had taken out of her blouse a phial filled with a brilliant red liquid. Muffet had not even tried to hide his shiver from the sight of the needle. Have to inject the remedy in Red seemed to him now even worse.

" Are you sure you want to do  it Dyne? " Asked Alphys.

She saw nothing but Muffet found her extremely perceptive. 

" It is not that I want but I have to do it. We cannot stay here. It is our only chance to save if only a single soul. "

The scientist put the syringe and approached the woman lizard to embrace her. They were really adorable both. They really loved each other. Muffet looked one moment at Papyrus with three of her eyes. She imagined an instant what kind of relationship they could have had.

Muffet played nervously with the bandages recovering her arms. Undyne murmured something to Alphys. The spider imagined it being romantic words. The King got up, greeted them and guided Alphys outside of the room, determined.

Muffet would stay in the room. Even hurt, she wanted to stay with Papyrus. She sat near him, on Red’s bed that he did not seem to leave anymore. Impossible to move him. As soon as he was moved,the moment they turned their back they find him perched as a crow above the fallen down.

" W-well … Muffet can you please t-take Papyrus on his own b-bed? " Asked the scientist, nervous.

Muffet did not discuss and turned to Papyrus. Much to her surprise, he had stopped looking at Red to concentrate intensely on the syringe and its brilliant red contents . The barmaid did not like this look. Just looking at it squeezed her soul as in a vice. She had to remain watchful.

She helped Papyrus to move up to his bed softly while Undyne prepared her patient. She taken the motionless hand of Papyrus in two of hers and remained to look at him. At least, she would not have to look at the needle.

A big clamor was listened,making the walls tremble. Alphys and Asgore had to be speaking to the survivors. It's about time. Once the remedy used, they would have only 24 hours to carry out their plan. And after that, they would know or not the side effects Undyne talked about or they would all die. 

" I … I begin the procedure " heard the spider.

There was no sound in the room. Only the powerful voices of Asgore and Alphys sometimes was listened, suppressed by the walls.

Muffet looked at Papyrus. She alternated between his face and his hand, in case he wanted to communicate. But nothing. He was only fixing Undyne’s back.

" I begin … "

Muffet shivered, hearing a slight crackle. The needle had doubtless penetrated into the bone of the Fallen Down. She closed her eyes just one moment, disgusted by the noise. Then, when she opened them, Papyrus was not there any more. She held in her hands a dislocated skeleton hand, left by its owner.

In a fraction of a second, he had disappeared. It was only when she heard shouts of surprise from Undyne she understood.

She turned her head and goes pale in an instant. Papyrus was between Undyne and Red. Of his remaining hand, he had pushed away the guiding hand of the scientist. The latter seemed to be paralyzed by fear, trembling.

Muffete released the dislocated limb and of a jump beside the woman fish.

" Papyrus! What are you doing?! "

She arrived at their height to separate them and saw with horror that Undyne had the needle still half full of red liquid in her arm. At that moment, they heard applauses and cheers from behind the walls.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there, hope you liked that chapter.  
> Sorry for the lack of update lately. I've been very busy with work and accumulated so much tiredness...  
> But now i'm on vacation... for one week so I try to update all my stories.  
> This chapter, especially the End, was planned ever since i've wrote the first chapter and decided that I wanted to write what happen next.  
> Sorry for the Papyrus point of view paragraph... I just wanted to have his vision of what happens. Like Alphys, he see the world differently now but for other reasons as you can see. He's all about himself now and think only about him.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading and see you soon for the next chapter.


	7. Determination

our hope! We... We only have 24 hours left before the side effects appears! I … I do not want to lose a single minute! "

Red was lost. Why the sweet Undyne, the softest version of the woman fish he knew behaved like that? He was the one who had to get angry. HE was the one who had all right to be outraged. But he was paralyzed by the pain and the strange behavior of those  around him.

**" as if I wanted to waste time too…  did it occur to you that my brother might still be out there? He knows that I am alive. it is a Fell thing. and, knowing him, he will wait until the last moment that I emerge to come back to him "**

" This time, will be we ready to fight the time you or I start the machine. "

"  **against my brother? heh...heheh... good luck. I am going to explain to you how to program the machine. it’s safer. at least, if I melt, you can always do it. "**

He slowly raised one of his hands to touch the collar always enclosing his neck. This movement ached as walking on burning embers.

This idiot had removed from him the right to die with dignity. She obliged him to survive, knowing he was condemned to lose his substance to give a chance to those who stayed.

To give a chance to Papyrus. Or at least what was left of him.

Once again, he had no control over the situation. He never had. Resigned, he did not know if he was frightened or relieved to wear his necklace.

 

The time had come. Undyne had learned how to run the machine and had decided on a code to put in to lead them to a new universe.

When they went out of the room, even if they were shocked by the state of Papyrus, the present monsters greeted them all as heroes. All except Red, naturally. On his path, monsters kept silent and gave at him looks of hatred.

Muffet who stayed near Papyus hoped to not have to stop him attacking Red in the middle of their exit.

Asgore and Alphys already waited for them near the staircase of the house. They had organized the survivors. Those who were ready to fight had taken place in front of the group and surrounded the Skeletons and Undyne to protect them. Papyrus and Red had to use their attacks to protect Undyne since the traitor had given her the instructions and a code that he had not tried yet to go to a world different from his.

Muffet did not want to fight but she stayed in the front line, she would support Papyrus at all costs. If she could prevent another disaster, at least she would be useful.

She could not refrain from giving worried looks towards Undyne. Nobody knew what were the side effects. And once injected, she had refused to talk about it, she only complained until Red’s awakening.

When king approached the door of Ruins to remove the seal from it, she noticed a girl, a green flame, in the middle of fighters. She could notice, on the cheeks of the elementary of tracks blacks deprived of flame, cold coal. She had heard that the coal of an elementary was as its pulpit.

Muffet felt her heart tighten. Fuku was too young to fight. Too young to have marks in her skin like that.

Finally, the door of the Ruins opened. The outside air stank like dust and ashes.

The road was going to be long until Snowdin. They had to remain careful.

The group moved forward in a deadly silence. Nobody dared to make the slightest noise. As soon as a branch broke itself or as soon as a bundle of snow fell of one of the trees surrounding, all of the procession stopped looking forward to a possible attack.

But nothing came.

Maybe the Fell left, maybe they would not need to fight.

Muffet’s soul squeezed up to that idea. If they could just go to Snowdin, activate the machine and evacuate their condemned world so simply, everything would be over.

But arrived at the bridge just before the village, the group stopped abruptly. Because on the other side of the bridge, the Papyrus of Fell looked at them, a big victorious smile deforming his skull.

**"FINALLY AWAKE, I SEE. YOU TOOK YOUR TIME, PET! A LITTLE MORE AND I WOULD HAVE LEFT YOU BURST WITH THESE WEAKLINGS!"**

Muffet saw, in front of her, Red jump and stiffen all at once.

**"B-boss I … I was not in shape for…"**

**"SHUT UP, SANS! AS LONG AS THERE ARE SURVIVORS, MY WORK ISN’T OVER AND YOURS EITHER. THEN, NOW PET, GRAB THE SCIENTIST AND TAKES HER TO THE PORTAL, NOW!"**

Without event trying to protest, the spider saw Red quickly catch Undyne’s arm, herself catching Alphys and three monsters disappeared all at once.

A common shout of bewilderment and horror shook the group. Muffet felt all her being shiver at once, the hairs on her arms bristled when she began to hear the now well known noise of the energy accumulating. She looked at Papyrus’s face. He fixed his demonic double with an ardor which she had never seen in him. More even than for Red, the valid eye of her friend seemed to throw daggers in the direction of his Fell double.

She did not need to look above her head to know that the mutilated skull which, not much time before had hurted her, began to appear.

**" I SEE THAT YOU STILL HAVE YOUR JUDGE. NYEHEHE! BUT IT LOOKS HE’S NOT A THREAT ANYMORE. I AM GOING TO HARVEST YOUR POINTS OF EXECUTION! "**

The skeleton ran on the bridge, red bones appeared in his hands. Papyrus fired immediately. Frightened, the monsters least capable to fight ran away in the opposite direction. Muffet stayed, Papyrus was not ready to fight, he could not dodge the blows, he…

He fired the flying half skull straight ahead, towards the bridge, creating an explosion of snow and fragment. Was it so simple? Had Papyru’s anger been enough?

No.

The devil in front of them was not overcome yet. The cloud had not fallen again yet that Muffet saw him to jump away from it, trying to land on Papyrus and her with the threatening red bones. Unguardedly, the spider created a web with four of her arms to muddle one of the weapons with her magic there but the other one was ready to strike.

She closed her eyes. With her Hp already low, she was afraid that the blow would kill her. But the blow did not come. It never came.

She opened three of her eyes, cramped in the arm of Papyrus. She, then, saw the devil in grip with Garret and Jeannot. A burned wound was visible on the side of the monster of Fell.

He had been deviated from his target just in time.


	8. Out

He did not move, the numerous obstacle around him had scattered, only Her stayed near him. It was because of the red. This red deeper than the one that he usually saw. He had wanted to get rid of it, to destroy this vile color. But he had failed.

He would re-try when his strengths would have returned in him to create another attack. He remained motionless, as usual. It would be easy to end his suffering by letting the red touch him. But She stayed near him, She protected him, forcing him to move far from the red, using a purple magic to create solid threads.

He recognized this magic, it was familiar. He felt the same strength coming from his own soul.

Other obstacle were all around, attacking the red. Why do not they destroy him? Was it so hard? And why he did not let the red fight against him? That could only end well. Either he destroyed the red, or he was destroyed. And he would finally be released from this constant suffering.

She was collided to him. She continued to move him at every attack with three of her hands. Three others created obstacles, using threads to make strange trajectories creating what looked like a deadly dance.

The one with horns and the soft and familiar voice never stopped sending fireballs. A rabbit and a dragon chained attacks with a rare complicity. Their massive shape allowed him to distinguish them in the mass of fighter. White snow flew of everywhere, sometimes tinged with red.

But She) continued to move, to protect him. He did not leave the red of his eye. Finally he felt in him the power returning. He called upon another head by concentrating well to fire only once the red in his sights.

 

 

One... two... three.

He tried vainly to attack the Judge but he was protected too well. But if he reduced the number of his opponents, he could get rid of this nuisance.

One… 

Every attack he received, he sent sharpened bones in all the directions hoping to make some victims among the monsters hiding in the area.

Zero …

And in each of these blind attacks, he counted his victims, calculating the EXP which he had to receive from it.

Another fireball reached him.

One... two …

He got free of the attack of a small green flying spark and pushed her violently against the fresh snow. The roaring of pain that she let escape was music to his ears.

He heard, again, the characteristic sound of the distorted Gaster Blaster of the Judge. Smiling sadistically, he caught one of the monsters coming to attack him again and tried to protect himself from its beam by using him as a shield.

He felt his HP being drop slowly, but certainly, that was not enough to protect him. But the monster in his hands, he would have said a weakling version of RG01, seemed ready to fall to dust.

One... two... three, four! By counting the fighter whom he had just finished. He had to hurry, his HP were at the lowest and he did not know if he would manage to kill all his targets if he continued without defending himself more effectively.

So he concentrated all his strength on the Judge and the Muffet. He could win. He could end the work and go back home, leave plundering another world or finally seeing the surface now that his King got enough souls. He had been a good fighter, his king promised to give him one of the surplus souls. He would be capable of overcoming human being, yes…

He dreamed to long. He was about to pierce with his bones the stupid spider and destroy the Judge... But something was in his back and had hurted him rather seriously.

He had almost nothing more to hold, almost no HP lest. The wound on his back was too severe and had broken numerous vertebras.

He had to end his work, he had another spark of life. He had to fight, it’s kill or be to killed!

A green brightness appeared in the outskirts of his vision. The kid, the green sparkling looked at him with hatred. The eyes were underlined by faded coal like two black trail of tears. She threw him a new fireball.

He had a last thought, a lot of regret. His last thought was for his brother. He had served him well. He had used him well. He would just have preferred to be by his side…

Soon there was only dust left of him, with him clothes and the necklace with Red’s tooth.

 

 

She had arrived just in time. As had told Red. She had arrived just at the right time. She had run on a straight line.

She had burst into anger once transported somewhere else. She was totally disoriented and Undyne shouted to Red not to make that, not to obey. He had then explained them that he had no choice. But that he had obeyed and that now he didn’t had to do anything else. He had taken Undyne to the portal, the Boss had not ordered him to take her in his world. They were, thus, safe, they could work on the machine and change its destination.

Alphys had not smashed his face by respect for Undyne who, although upset, had told her to not hurt him after his explanation.

But they remained worried for the others then she had asked to join them. Red could not take her there himself at the risk of having new orders.

But while Undyne worked on the machine, he could help lizard. She was then guided. She hated the sensation of the bones of this traitor on her scales. But, much to her surprise, the skeleton seemed to her softer than she thought.

To walk through Snowdin, or that she thought of being the ruins of the city was very unpleasant. He reigned there a constant smell of dust, ash and dried blood covering that of pines. The trampled snow was sprinkled with fragment that she felt on her feet, the traitor not thinking to warn her.

She was attentive to every noise, to every sound. The clamor of a fight repeated in echo in the cave what confused her senses. By where to go to give a hand?

The skeleton had stopped and had told her.

**" go straight ahead, the bridge is just in front of you. you’ll recognize my brother with his smell of blood and dust. hurry up. "**

She felt him leaving her then the small *pop* indicating a teleportation. She did not want to trust him, he would have so simply been able to put her in front of an abyss.

She had concentrated and had put one foot in front of her, carefully. She recognized the sensation of the cheap paint with which Sans had painted the stony bridge. He had not lied to her. She continued to walk, with more assurance until hearing more clearly the fight. She had then begun to run, all her senses awakens. She quickly located the smell of the demon, she jumped, revealed her axe and felt it crashing in the vertebras of the false Papyrus as in butter before he falls in dust. She had no EXP the heat which she had felt just after the blow was thus at the origin of the death of their enemy.

Nobody shouted of enjoyment, she just heard crying and sigh of relief around her. She explained to them then.

" Red and Undyne are ahead, he did not send her to his world. We can go! "

 

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this story after two days drawing something. I began to just draw Stretch, then I added Red and the more I did, the more a really dark story came in my mind. So after finishing the picture ( https://aerishikari.tumblr.com/post/158945597192/just-finished-the-picture-ive-began-yesterday ) i began to write the story around it.
> 
> I know, the Fell!Bros are not always like that. In fact, I like to imagine them as two brothers who protect each other as they can in their world. The Edge in this story is an asshole because the story needed it. So keep in mind that I changed things from my headcanon for this Story.
> 
> For Undyne, I have my own headcanon. I like the idea of Papyrus Capitain of the Royal guard, playing cruelty because he have to... But i find it illogical that Undyne would be his second in command. Or would live if they had to fight for the post ( in fact, I think she would have be the winner). But In a world where it's killed or be killed, what would be more fearsome than the Capitain of the Guard? The personal Assassin of the King. Someone trained to kill. So I find it's better for Undyne to be a Royal Assassin than second in command. (And without the rivality, she and Pap can still be friends!)
> 
> So here, I hope you liked this short story. See you next time!


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